Holder for a spool of thread



c. c. STACK HOLDER FOR A SPOOL 0F THREAD- May], 1951 Filed Sept. 8, 1949 CECZIZ Patentecl May 1, 1951 *UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 8, 1949, Serial No. 114,637-

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a holder for a spoolof thread and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to providea simple, inexpensive and efiicient holder for a spool of thread, and which includes upon the outside thereof, means under which a part of a length of thread, drawn from the spool, may be disposed, effectively to grip the same between periodic use, and this in such a way that it may be quickly and easily released for the drawing or pulling of another length of thread from the spool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the kind mentioned and wherein it is practical to make the body and its cover of a transparent non-metallic material, say of the plastic group, and to apply thereto in a simple manner against loss or removal, a metallic clip which carries one or more finger-like parts under which a part of a length of thread may be passed and which will function upon a pull on an end portion of said part of said-length of thread, beyond said finger-like parts,to cut the same and leave a portion gripped thereunder for easy removal when it is desired to withdraw another length of thread from the contained spool.

. Also it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind, capable of holding any one of a number of sizes of spools of thread and which forms a handy adjunct for sewing kits such as usedby housewives in the home, in connection with either hand or machine sewing.

\ Again it is an object of the invention to provide in a holder of this kind, a simple and inexpensive clip for gripping a thread end and which clip and holder are so correlated that parts of the clip may be passed through a part of the body of the holder and then upset or folded over upon the inside thereof to retain the clip in place upon said body.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, along with the advantages thereof, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a holder for a spool of thread embodying the preferred form of the invention. I

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a group of parts which make up the improved holder, with said parts arranged substantially in the order of their assembly. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view 2 through the holder as taken on the line 3-3 ,of Fig. 1 and on a scale enlarged over that of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view through'a part of the holder as taken onthe line 44 and on a scale enlarged over that of Fig.3: Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the inner side" of a clip embodied in the holder, on the scale of Fig. 4. In general the improved holder is in the form of a tubular body closed at the bottom and openat the top and preferably made of a transparent non-metallic material such as a plastic. This body is of a length and diameter to receive within the same, a spool of thread of desiredsize and which may be one such as is most commonly. found in a sewing kit or-the like in the home. A cover removably fits the open top of the. body and confines the spool in place in the holder in a manner permitting the spool to turn axially therein when a length of thread is withdrawn therefrom from outside the holder.

In the body of the holder, below the cover is fingers grip the thread in such a mannerthat if that portion of the thread, beyond said fingers,

is disposed at an angle thereto and a pull is exerted'thereon, the free end of the thread is cut or broken leaving another portion disposed in a manner to be easily grasped by the fingers of the hand when it is desired to pull another length of thread from the spool.

Referring now'indetail to that embodiment'of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the improved holder consists of but three simple parts;

namel'y'a hollow body Ill closed at one end and open at the other end, a cover H for removable application to the open end of the body, and a clip l2 formed for application to the body. Said parts appear in Fig.2 in grouped relation in substantially the order of their assembly.

Preferably the body "land cover ll aremade of a transparent non-metallic material, such as made of metal.

one of the plastics and the clip 12. is preferably The body Ill includes a cylindrical wall 13 and" has an integral bottom I4 and centr ally of said bottom is an opening [4a. The upper openend of the body has a relativelythin annular flangelike extension I thereon, the inside diameter of which is the same as that of the inside of the wall l3. Said flange terminates at a radial shoulder Iton said cylindrical wall, as best appears in Figs. 2 and 3. In one side of the wall I3 and flange I5 is a longitudinal slot I? which opens at its top end through the top edge of said flange.

In practice, the body I9 has such a length and diameter that it will receive a spool of thread of desired size, such for example as one found in the sewing kit or sewing machine compartment used in the home. fills the body, but in a manner permitting the spool to turn therein when a pull is exerted upon the free end portion of the thread wound thereon. Of course, spools of smaller sizes will be accommodated in a given size container. A spool of thread I8 best appears in Figs. 1 and 3 and in the latter in dotted lines.

The cover II includes a peripheral flange I9 which has a friction fit on the flange I5 of the body and when said cover is in place upon the body I0, its bottom edge engages against the shoulder I 6, and a part of its flange will cover that part of the slot I? in the flange I5 of the body. In the cover is a center opening I Ia that lines up with the opening Ida in the bottom I4 of the body. This permits the device to be disposed upon the spool post or spindle of a sewing machine (not shown), such post passing through the openings Ida and I Ia and the center opening or passage (not shown) in the spool I8 within the holder.

The clip I2 which best appears from its inner side on an enlarged scale in Fig. 5 is curved transversely to fit the curvature of the outside of the cylindrical wall I3 of thebody I8. It is formed on its transverse median line with a pair of punched out integral portions, one on each side of the vertical median line and these portions are ofiset outwardly at acute angles to form oppositely directed fingers 2Il20 that are connected at their inner ends to the body of the clip.

Above and below these fingers are clip retaining fingers 21 arranged as oppositely facing pairs and each finger is bent inwardly of the clip to extend at a right angle thereto as best appears in Fig. 5. These right angled fingers are spaced apart such a distance as will permit of their being passed through the slot II in the wall I3 of the body I0.

In assembling the clip upon the body, said pairs of fingers ZI are disposed to pass through the slot I l, with the bottornmost fingers engaged with the bottom end of the slot, as appears in Fig. 3. In this position the top edge of the clip is disposed slightly below the shoulder IS on the wall II of the body and then when the cover is in place upon the body, the bottom edge of its flange and the top edge of the clip expose a part of the slot I. to form an opening 22 in the body through which a length of thread on the spool may be pulled or withdrawn. This length of thread, which is indicated at 23, appears in Fig. 1.

When the clip is so assembled on the body, a part of each finger 2I will extend inwardly of the inner surface of the Wall of the body and said parts are then bent over in opposite direction as at 24 in Fig. 4 so that they clamp against said surface and hold the clip tightly in position upon said body. r

In the use of the holderfto load the same, the procedure is as follows: When the cover- I I is re-. moved iroin .the body I0,' and after alen'gthof The spool of thread substantially lid 4 thread 23 has been pulled from the spool I8, said spool may be entered into the body I0 from its open end, with said length of thread extending out through the slot I'I. Thereafter the cover I I may be applied to the open end of the body to confine the spool therein and at this time said part of said length of thread will extend through the opening 22 to the outside of the body.

Assume now that a length of the thread is desired for hand sewing. The user merely pulls on said length of thread and this draws out a further length through the opening 22 the spool turning axially in the holder to pay off said further length. When the desired length of thread has been pulled from the spool, that portion of said length adjacent the opening 22 is passed under one finger 2B and then under the other finger 20, as appears in Fig. 1. By reason of the acute angle at which said finger are disposed, said part of the thread length is securely gripped and a pull on the thread length beyond the second mentioned finger, will out or cause said thread length to break at the top side of the second finger. Thus there is left remaining on said clip, a short length of thread between the bottom edges of these two fingers and which is confined against the face of the clip below said fingers and in a position wherein it may be readily picked by the fingernail for the pulling of another length of thread after releasing it from under the first finger 20.

With the improved holder, there are no loose ends of thread to become accidently withdrawn or pulled from the spool. Thus the sewing cabinet, kit or compartment which contains the spools of threads in the holders, can be kept in a neat and orderly condition. Also the thread is kept in a clean condition and it is possible to visualize the amount of thread on the spool in the holder without removing the spool therefrom. Furthermore, after a length of thread has been cut or broken from the clip, another portion of the thread is securely held against the clip but in a condition for easy grasp in pulling another length of thread from the spool.

If it is desired to perform machine sewing, the container, as a whole, with the spool of thread therein, may be placed upon the conventional spool post or spindle of a sewing machine. When the thread has been released from clip I2 it may be threaded through the necessary parts of the sewing machine and needle. The sewing operation may then proceed as in the case Where the conventional spool is in position on the spool post or spindle.

While in describing the invention I have referred in .detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense, and, therefore, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A holder for a spool of thread embodying therein a hollow open top body for holding a spool of thread when disposed therein, a clip, integral parts of which pass through a side portion of the body and are upset upon the inner.

surface of said side portion and securing said clip to said body, there being an opening through said body above said clip for the passage of a length of thread from said spool to the outside of the body, punched'out portions of said clip formin oppositely facing transverse fingers for y the bottom end of a spool of thread disposed therein, a longitudinal slot in said body, a clip on the outerside of a portion of said body and covering one portion of said slotv and exposing another portion of said slot to provide an opening for the passage of a length of thread from said spool to the outside ofjisaid body, integral fingers carried by said clip and extending through the first mentioned portion of said slot and upsetrupon the inside of said body, portion, and other integral fingers carried by said clip and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite direction at acute angles forigripping a part of said length of thread when passed ,thereunder.

3. A holder for a spool of thread embodying therein a hollow body open at one end and closed at the other end and adapted to hold a spool of thread when disposed therein, a longitudinal slot in said body and opening through the open end thereof, a removable closure for the open end of said body and covering a portion of said slot from its top end, a clip carried on a side of the body below said closure and covering a part of said slot and coacting with'said closure in providing an opening for the passage of a length of thread from said spool to the outside of the body, said clip having integral fingers passing through said body and turned over upon the inners'ide thereof and other integral fingers carried by said clip and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite direction at acute angles and 1-adapted for gripping a part of said length of thread when passed thereunder.

4. In combination with the wall of a receptacle for spools of thread, a clip on the outer side of {said wall including integral parts passing through [said wall and upset upon the inner side of said [wall and securing said clip thereto, there being an opening through said Wall in operative re- 9 lation to said clip for the passage of a length 50f thread from the inner to the outer side of :"said wall, punched out portions of said clip form- "-'ing oppositely facing fingers for gripping a part of said length of thread when passed thereunder.

CEDRIC C. STACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

